Restoration of Taj Mahal minaret pinnacle begins
AGRA: Repair work to restore the pinnacle of south-western minaret of Taj Mahal started on Tuesday.
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) officials said the repair work at the height of 250 feet would take four to five days. Same pinnacle would be placed again on the top of the minaret, they added.
ASI’ s conservation assistant at Taj Mahal, Ram Ratan said, “The supporting iron rod within the minaret has become weak due to rust and it has to be replaced. Besides, fresh mortar would be used to hold the pinnacle at the top of the minaret.”
“The work is to be carried at the height of 250 feet. Hence all precautions are being taken,” he added.
Maintenance workers had found the pinnacle of the south western minaret of Taj Mahal lying on a cleaning platform surrounding the structure on Monday, sparking worries that the turret may have fallen off. However, ASI officials said that the pinnacle was removed because the structure had weakened, blaming monkeys for it.
Later, the officials had placed a piece of cloth on the top of minaret from where the pinnacle apparently fell off.
Three of the minarets of the Taj Mahal are being chemically cleaned and mesh structures have been put up around them.
Talking to Hindustan Times, superintending archaeologist, ASI, Bhuvan Vikram Singh had on Monday said that the pinnacle had not fallen off but was removed due to its weakness. “The last thrust might be from the monkeys reaching there,” he had said.